Final Fantasy X: Harbinger
by amazingarchangel
Summary: Elric is a regular spear-fisher who's parents were taken by Sin; his life forever damaged. But when Sin attacks the boat to Kilika that he travels on, a chain of events are set in motion that could bring to light elements of Elric's past that seem too impossible to be true. And an awakening force inside himself that could threaten all of Spira.
1. We Will Be One

**Final Fantasy X: Harbinger**

 **Chapter One: We Will Be One**

 _ **A/N: So here is it. I could go on and on with a lengthy author's note but I'll just get right to the point.**_

The constant but subtle lapping of the waves on the side of the S.S. Liki was so perfect that he could barely keep his eyes open. Elric had an angular face with slightly defined cheekbones and a sharp chin. His deep-set almond shaped eyes were a bright grey and his eyebrows were shaped in a perfect arch over his eyes. His nose was of medium size and came to a point above his thin lips.

He was lying on a deck-chair on the upper deck of the boat, sunbathing and drifting in and out of dreamland for the past several hours. The light breeze and lovely weather were not helping whatsoever either. He stretched his arms and legs, a groan drifted out of his mouth as he folded his hands behind his head. A contented smile drew his lips up.

Elric had been fishing off the coast of a few islands near Besaid and was absolutely exhausted after nearly seven straight, 18 hour days. He was finally getting his brief vacation that he had promised himself; he was going to the opening tournament of the blitzball season. His father had taken him every year for 12 years. Considering they lived in Luca it was a wonder why they didn't go every year.

Like Elric, his father was a fisherman. The two of them would troll up and down the coast of Kilika and Besaid for hours recreationally and would go drift-netting and crabbing for days. This process was all well and good, but their real money came from pearling. The two men would take turns diving for pearls, seeing who could hold their breath the longest; Elric always won. They would take their catch back home to Luca and sell it at the market, sometimes stopping off at Besaid and Kilika if they had a particularly large haul to lighten the load before heading home.

He leaned up off of his deck chair, almost like he was doing a crunch, and tied his long black hair into a tight ponytail, then laid back down. A calm sigh escaped his lips. He had managed to find a spot where there was only a couple of people and even so, they were all the way across the top deck talking. He could barely make out what they were saying but it was slowly making him drift off to sleep; their voices adding to the soothing white-noise of the waves lapping against the boat. He felt himself really start to fall now, and soon he was snoring quietly while his already lightly bronzed skin turned even darker.

* * *

 _ **Elric awoke to the warm, beautiful blue waters of the ocean. He was swimming faster than he could ever hope to swim. It was more like he was flying through the water rather than actually kicking or stroking through it.**_

 _ **"This is incredible!" He said out loud as his body launched itself out of the water. He let out a loud 'whoop' noise only moments before he crashed back into the water.**_ _ **His body flew out of the water again, this time diving deep into the blackness when it re-entered the water once more.**_

 _ **He looked behind him to see the sun's bright, warm light slowly fading. Even though it was a dream he could feel the water grow cooler the deeper his body went. The soothing warmth near the surface slowly disappeared and pitch blackness took its place. He could feel the pressure slowly crushing him.**_

 _ **"Okay," he said nervously, his voice echoing, "I'd like to wake up now." He let out a pained grunt, grabbing at his chest; it was getting harder for him to breath. He tried to flail his arms, but he found his muscles were frozen stiff. He could only watch helplessly as his dream spiraled into nightmarish territory.**_

* * *

Elric shot up and inhaled a deep, deep breath, like a whale breaching for air. He looked around, letting out a to see familiar surroundings. _"Still on the Liki..."_ He thought to himself. He looked down at his body, relieved to see that he actually had one now. Flopping back down onto the deck-chair, he exhaled. A small smile crossed his face. "It was only a-"

His moment of relaxationwas cut short. A tremendous impact rocked the boat, sending him flying off his chair and crashing hard into the hot wooden planks of the deck. "Dream," he finished painfully, grimacing as he rolled over onto his side. Another impact sent his chair over the railing and he heard it shatter on the deck below. The ship began to tilt, slowly leaning to one side. People were screaming now. He felt himself start to slide and quickly attempted to gain purchase on the smooth wood. Elric's body started to accelerate, speeding him towards the railing on the port side. He quickly and silently thanked the shipwright's who assembled this boat for sanding down the planks, or his bare-back and feet would have been in a world of hurt. He drove his shoulder into the thin wood and metal railing, letting out a painful cry as he heard a loud cracking noise that he hoped was the wood. He crumpled, his body splayed painfully against hot wood and cool metal. Waves towered over the boat, each one threatening to engulf it and let the sea claim it.

He felt the boat slowly start to level off, objects rolled and shattered on the starboard side. Elric's weapons – which had been under his chair only a few moments ago – had slid down and were sitting beside him; it was an odd convenience, but one he would accept nonetheless. Just as he was reaching for them, a gigantic fin broke the surface just off the starboard bow. Elric knew what it was; he had seen it before.

"Sin!" Someone called out. People screamed louder; the level of panic increasing even more. Passengers ran inside the ship, performing futile attempts and prayers to save themselves. If it wanted to, Sin could crush this ship like it was nothing. Elric braced himself for the inevitable outcome, seeing himself being crushed by the tremendous girth of the swimming leviathan.

The fin moved around to the front of the boat. Elric heard the familiar noises of harpoon guns being fired. He quickly strapped his sword belt to his waist, it hung loosely as he was wearing a blue bathing suit and not his trousers; he wasn't exactly dressed for battle, but he wasn't expecting it either. But he had been taught to always carry a weapon wherever he went; better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. He stumbled to the railing overlooking the bow, seeing one of the harpoons had sunk deep into Sin's fin.

"Are you crazy!?" He yelled out through cupped hands. "We'll get pulled under!" He remembered when his father and him had accidentally caught a whale in one of their nets. He remembered how quickly their boat had started to sink. He remembered the sound of splintering wood and bent metal as it tore the rigging and dragged it under the water. He gave a silent prayer to Yevon that today wasn't the day he died.

A sudden heavy impact from behind him, sending splinters and broken planks in all directions, rocked him back from memory lane, causing Elric to spin around. As the dust started to settle, Elric could make out a blue light from the impact site. Then more blue light. And more blue light.

A large crustacean like creature leapt out of the dust straight for Elric. His eyes widened and he let out a surprised gasp. He dived to the right, tucking his shoulder in as he hit the deck and rolling back to his feet. The creature smacked itself into the railing with a loud 'clang'. It skittered around for a few seconds, it's mandibles clicking as it chirped and hissed in pain.

"Sinspawn..." Elric hissed. His right hand reached for his sword, his fingers settling on the curved grip. He eased the sword out of its scabbard, the subtle sound of steel scraping against leather sent a tingle up his spine. He twisted his feet slowly, evenly transferring his weight from the balls of his feet to his heels in turn to give him a wider stance. The Sinspawn, with their numerous glowing blue eyes, sized him up, trying to determine the best place to strike. Elric simultaneously did the same, his grey eyes narrowing as his brow furrowed.

One Sinspawn made the mistake of charging him. It's multiple legs clicking on the wood, screeching angrily as it pounced at him. Elric sidestepped the attack, letting out a quick exhalation of breath as he turned his body to face the enemy mid-jump. The blade, faded light blue in color, freed itself, singing loudly as it cleared it's scabbard. Using the same motion he used when drawing his weapon, Elric defended himself, making a semi-circle from the deck to the sun. The Sinspawn split in two, quickly disintegrating into pyreflies. Elric turned to face the other two enemies, bringing the sword to a 45-degree angle in front of him and pointing it towards the ground.

The other two Sinspawn hissed and chirped loudly, both skittering quickly along the deck. Elric went through the motions that he had been taught. He slowly reached behind him to the small of his back, the fingers on his left hand brushing against a leather-wrapped handle. One Sinspawn gouged it's legs into the deck and spread its 'wings'; they started to glow. Elric cocked an eyebrow at the action, but kept his focus on the one in front of him. Just as the one charging him leapt, mouth agape and hoping for something warm to latch on to, Elric pirouetted. He moved behind the creature, his left hand flashing out from behind him with a long and devilishly sharp dagger. He drove the dagger into the back of the spawn, pinning it to the ground. It exploded into pyreflies immediately.

Suddenly there was a shooting pain in his back. He let out a wince, trying not to scream. He grit his teeth and whirled around. The Sinspawn bounded side to side, almost like it was dancing. Elric tilted his head to the side slightly, his upper-lip and nose twitching. The Sinspawn ceased its dance, almost comically. Elric gripped his dagger in his hand, twirling it around so he gripped the blade and flicked his wrist forward, the blade flying out at lightning speed. It impaled the monster right between it's many eyes, again dissipating into light.

Elric dropped to one knee, placing his free hand on the deck and putting his weight onto it. He was taught to never use his sword like a crutch, it would dull the tip. Instead, he kept his sword raised horizontally, ensuring an effective defense even though he was wounded. His vision blurred, his back throbbed. He shook his head violently. He had no potions or antidotes on him, seeing as a bathing suit wasn't the best garment to carry his luggage in. He brought himself shakily to his feet, grasping the railing to steady himself. He glanced to the deck below.

Several other passengers had taken up arms against the Sinspawn. A large, blue Ronso twirled a halberd over his head, swinging it down at an enemy and bisecting it. Another, a woman wearing a black dress, waved her arm and lightning cracked down from the sky. Three more fought alongside them; a woman wearing a white dress, and two men. He watched one of them hurl a blitzball at one of the Spawn and creamed it in, what he could only assume, it's face. The other man held a glowing blue sword in his hands, constantly flipping his body around and twirling; it was an impressive bit of footwork Elric had to admit.

The numbness in his back slowly faded; he rolled his shoulder around, feeling pins and needles prick his body. He raised himself up to his full height, wincing as he felt the familiar pain associated with a limb waking up; it felt like he had been stung by a jellyfish.

He sheathed his sword on his waist and, as he did so, took hold of two disc-shaped objects. He depressed a small button inset in the center of the disc and heard a high-pitched winding noise, then a click. Elric took a step up onto the railing, using the strength in one leg to hoist himself up. He took a deep breath, flexed his knees, and jumped.

* * *

Tidus took another swing at a Sinspawn with his sword, Brotherhood. He smirked as it burst into Pyreflies. Pirouetting on his toes he transferred his weight onto his dominant foot which he slid in front of him. He flexed his knee and rocketed himself forward, his sword spinning wildly in his hands; several more Spawn exploded as he passed.

He stopped for a moment to catch his breath. Was Yuna okay? Was she in danger? He chanced a glance over in her direction. She had taken cover behind Kimahri, healing when necessary; Tidus should have known that Kimahri would keep her safe. "When are they gonna give up!?" He panted.

Wakka turned around, catching his blitzball as it came back to him. "We just gotta hold out until Sin gives up and leaves, ya?" He said, hurling his blitzball at another Spawn.

"Or we wait until it takes the boat under." Lulu said calmly, effortlessly dodging a Spawn that took a swing at her and countering with a crack of lightning.

"Well aren't you the optimist?" Tidus replied sarcastically, knocking an enemy away with his steel-toed foot.

Two whistling blurs sped past him, striking two Spawn in the body, then returning behind him. Tidus whirled around and saw a young man, probably not much older than he was, in a loose fitting blue bathing suit, no shirt, no shoes, and a weapon belt, jogging towards them. He watched as he caught the two blurs, which he could now see looked like small dinner plates, and affixed them to his belt. He drew a long, curved, blue hued sword and rushed up beside Tidus, quickly pressing his back to his.

"Heck of a party barge we got here, eh?" The man replied, holding the sword in front of him and ready to strike.

"Ye-Yeah." Tidus replied with a nod, eyeing the approaching Spawn. "They just keep coming. Are they ever going to end!?"

The black haired man swung his sword in an upward arc, bisecting a Sinspawn, then swinging it back down to clean the jet-black blood from it's blade. "We need to cut that harpoon cable." He said. "Sin's gonna pull us under if we don't."

Tidus nodded again, spinning his sword in his hand and jabbing at a lunging enemy. "Hey, Wakka!" Tidus yelled.

Wakka twirled and caught his ball. "What?" He cried out, throwing his ball again. "I'm a bit busy at the moment!"

The black haired man inclined his head towards Tidus. "He's got a pretty good arm. Who's he play for?" He drew one of his strange discs, clicking it open and hurling it towards the colossal fin.

"Huh? Who, Wakka?" He asked, watching the disc spin up.

The black haired man laughed. "Yeah. The guy throwing the blitzball like it's being shot out of a cannon." He caught the disc in his hand and spun around, throwing it again with a grunt.

A Sinspawn leaped out of both Tidus' and his new battle-brother's blind-spots. Tidus raised his sword but the other man reacted faster, jamming his sword deep into the Spawn. It staggered around in pain, screeching loudly. The man spun around and, in a single fluid motion, caught the disk and hurled it back at the fin. Then using his momentum, he grabbed his sword and pulled it out of the Spawn, finishing it with a lightning fast flourish.

"Look," he said, catching his breath in a lull, "let's talk later, okay? I'm Elric. What's your name?"

Tidus struck down two more Sinspawn before realizing that he had been asked a question. "Huh?" He said, surprised. "What did you say?"

The man caught his disk and clipped it to his belt. "I asked you your name. Mine's Elric." He responded, clutching his sword in front of him.

"Oh. My name's T-"

There was a loud cracking noise. Tidus and Elric both looked over to see the harpoon gun that had held Sin for far longer than it should have come loose. Wood splintered and flew in all directions as the gun disappeared beneath the waves.

* * *

 _Come back to me..._

Elric dropped to the deck, both hands clutching his head in pain. He let out a painful cry; his head felt like someone had filled it full of razor-blades.

 _We will be One. Soon. We will be ONE._

Elric clutched his head, rolling over onto his side. He felt his stomach churn as the contents of his stomach made an unscheduled appearance. His entire body felt like it was going to be torn apart.

 _Remember who you are! We will be One!_

Elric's eyes rolled into the back of his head, swiftly losing consciousness. Before he blacked out, the words kept repeating in his mind.

 _We will be whole once again._

 **A/N: So there it is. The first chapter. I know I'm not the most active writer for updates but I'm really, really gonna try this time. I'd appreciate Reviews and any criticism that you can give, but be nice! The second chapter is already in the works but there's still a lot of work to be done on it yet.**


	2. The Third

**Final Fantasy X: Harbinger**

 **Chapter Two: The Third**

What had happened? How long had he been out?

And those words...what did they mean?

" _We will be one."_

The four words echoed loudly in his mind. His eyes slowly fluttered open. The room was mostly a blur and the light stung his eyes. He groaned as his vision regained clarity.

"H-hey! You're awake!" An enthusiastic voice said.

Elric's head pounded at the volume as the world slowly came back into focus. Mere inches away from his face was the same blonde boy he had fought beside before; a large smile on his face. Needless to say, Elric was startled by the proximity. His eyes widened, causing a shooting pain to bound its way through his head. He let out a noise of protest and raised his arms to shove the unwelcome sight away. His arms felt like they weighed a tonne; his muscles burned, like he had just finished swimming across the ocean.

He remembered the last day he saw his father.

There was a loud 'THUMP' and a groan. "Sorry..." The voice said again. He raised himself up off the floor, gently rubbing his backside.

Elric slowly sat up, almost immediately regretting the decision to do so as his head swam. He put a hand to his forehead and moaned. "How long was I out?" He asked, gritting his teeth. He looked around the room he was in; it wasn't his. He was in – what he could only assume – an infirmary or a nurse's office.

The boy sat down in a chair that was next to the bed, draping his arms over the back as he leaned in to Elric. "A couple hours at least." He said, scratching his chin. "I wanted to make sure you were alright, ya know?"

Elric was still wearing his bathing suit, his weapons belt hung on the wall beside his bed. There was another bed next to him his clothes lay neatly folded on the edge. ' _They went in my room?'_ Elric thought. So much for privacy. "Thanks for waiting." Elric said quietly, inching his body backwards and propping himself up against the headboard.

"Thanks for jumping in back there." The boy said. "We really needed your help."

Elric smiled weakly. "Don't mention it. Anybody would have done it." He thought back to the amount of people panicking and fleeing. "Well," he chuckled, "almost anyone." He rubbed his sore arms and winced, feeling the familiar burning of a worn out muscle. "Your friends all seem capable of handling themselves in a fight." He stated. "What are you doing on the boat to Kilika?"

The boy stretched his arms and placed them under his chin, leaning on the chair. "We're blitzball players. I'm gonna play for the Aurochs!"

Elric winced at the exclamation but couldn't hold back his smirk. "You say that like it's an achievement. You know they're the worst team in the league right?" The boy frowned.

"Hey! Blitzball's not always about winning." He said, standing up out of the chair suddenly. "It's about having heart, always seeing things through even if they're bad; it's about the sport." He explained. Elric was inclined to agree with him.

"Well if any team has heart, it's the Aurochs." Elric said. "Never thought the Aurochs would put up that much of a fight." He joked.

The boy's nose twitched and he sat back down, returning to his original position on the chair. "Well we're traveling with a summoner, right? And we're her guardians. But I'm not, but I might be soon, or I might not ever be." He stammered. Elric cocked his eyebrow at him. "I actually don't know much about Summoners."

Elric gave him a funny look, his hazel-brown eyes betraying a look of amusement. "Forgive my phrasing; but have you been living under a rock for any extended period of time?" He said with a chuckle. The boy gave him a weird look and scratched the back of his head, messing up his blonde hair.

"I...uh...got to close to Sin's toxin?" He said, seemingly not believing his own line.

Elric cocked an eyebrow and crossed his arms. "Sin's toxin, huh?" He said. He remembered back to when he had his last fishing trip with his father. Elric's eyes cast downwards, his brow furrowing.

"Hey, uh, Elric right? You wanting to say something?" The boy asked, craning his neck so he could look Elric in the eyes.

Elric looked up, blinking his eyes in quick succession. "No. Don't worry about it." He mumbled. "Say, I never got your name." He asked.

The boy's eyes lit up. "My name? It's T-"

There was a knock at the door and a man with orange hair styled up into a floppy point entered; his eyes were wet and his mouth was twisted. "Hey, glad to see you're awake, ya?" He said with a Besadian accent.

Elric nodded his head. "Thanks. I saw you out fighting; you've got a good arm. What's your name?" He asked quietly.

"Wakka. Captain of the Besaid Aurochs. You?" He replied, jutting his chin out. Elric silently scolded himself for what he said earlier about the team.

"Elric." He said. Wakka nodded with a forced smile. Elric could tell that this man was normally probably rather optimistic; he seemed like an O.K guy to hang around with.

"Hey," Wakka started, addressing both of them. His eyes gave off a strong feeling of mourning, "you best come up to the deck. You feeling alright?"

Elric's head still pounded, his muscles still ached, and his stomach churned every now-and-then. "Yeah, I'm fine." He lied. "What's happening?" He asked, his voice heavy with concern.

Wakka closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "It's Kilika. You best come see, ya?"

The boy got up quickly, his movements showing worry. "What about Yuna!? Is she okay?" He shouted.

The sudden raised voice caused Elric's head to throb again. He visibly winced, drawing in a deep breath and closing his eyes; he let it out and opened them.

Wakka nodded. "She's fine, ya. Come up to the deck. It's bad."

The boy and Wakka looked back at Elric who still lay in the bed. Elric swung his legs over the edge and stood up, his body not liking the change in direction so suddenly. The boy reached out for him, but Elric caught himself on the wall.

"I'm good. You two go on ahead; I'll catch up." Elric said. The two of them nodded and exited the room. He quickly stripped down and dressed in the clothes that _someone_ had brought for him. It was a simple set of clothes that he brought with him; black pants, brown, knee-high cuffed boots, and a red tank-top with a trench-coat like high-collar. It looked nice and was functional. He strapped his weapon belt to his waist, checking to make sure everything was there, pulled his blue jacket that they had left for him on and opened the door, exiting the infirmary.

Whatever Elric could have done to steel himself wouldn't have prepared him for what he saw once he was above deck. The sun was setting, the blue sky giving way to bright oranges, yellows, reds, and hints of purple; it would have been beautiful if not for the sight that laid itself out before him.

Chaos.

Death.

Destruction.

He walked up to the bow of the boat, where the cracked pole of the harpoon gun still was. It was a grim and disgusting reminder of the chaos that erupted mere hours ago. Just how long _had_ he been out? The boat plodded slowly through the water, the subtle thudding of debris and who knows what else striking the side of the ship. Kilika was destroyed. Calling Kilika 'gone' was taking it too far, but little was left standing.

Elric braced himself on the rope railing and felt his heart jump up into his throat. He gripped the rope with such an intensity that his hands started to hurt. Tears started to streak down his cheeks and a lump formed in his throat.

"It's okay." A soft voice whispered from behind him. "It's okay to cry."

Elric turned around, wiping his eyes. A woman - he recognized her from earlier - in a white and blue kimono decorated with flowers stood in front on him, hands clasped in front of her. Her sleeves sagged deeply. Her face displayed minimal emotion and was framed by a brown bob-cut. Fitting, considering the current situation. Elric tried to smile, finding it difficult. "Crying won't bring the dead back to life." He sniffed, having it come out harsher than expected.

The woman was taken aback. "Oh," she replied, her two-tone eyes drifting downwards, "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean-"

"It's okay." Elric held up a hand to stop her. "I didn't mean for it to come out so...morbid." He admitted. He turned back around to watch the ship's approach, again gripping the railing tighter than necessary.

The woman approached, leaning on the rope beside him; neither of them made eye contact.

"Do you live here?" She asked, her voice faltering slightly.

"No." Elric replied coldly. "But I come here a lot..." He trailed off. "Or...I used to. Before-" He stopped himself from saying anymore. He shook his head. "Nevermind."

"My name is Yuna. I'm a summoner from the Isle of Besaid. And I will defeat Sin. I must defeat Sin." She stated.

Elric felt a small smile creep onto his face; it was always nice to hear determination in someone's voice. "Elric. My name is Elric." He said, his voice sounding breathy and wobbly. "You still feel that way," he turned to her, his eyes meeting hers, "even though, at the end, when it is all over, you will be gone and Sin will come back?" He finished. His smile had faded, the corners of his mouth drooping down in sadness.

Yuna shook her head. "The people of Spira will have peace. If only for a little while..." She dropped her chin to her chest. Elric reached out and touched the bottom of her chin, lifting her gaze to look at him.

"Hey," he said quietly, "we will always be grateful for your sacrifice. We'll find a way someday. And then nobody else will have to die so others can be happy." He turned and looked at the carnage before them. "So things like this will never happen again."

Yuna pulled back and grasped a hand to her chest. "I will perform the sending when we arrive. Then the spirits can rest in peace." She did the prayer of Yevon and looked up at Elric, who was quite a bit taller than she was. "I pray for you friends. And for your family."

Elric felt a cold shiver run down his spine; his heart plummeted to his toes. "Mag..." He said quietly, gasping as he ran towards the side of the boat. His booted feet thudded against the solid wood deck as he picked up speed. Leaping off the ground, he vaulted over the guard railing and stuck both feet out in front of him. Thankfully the boat was close enough to the dock, and Elric found purchase on the rickety wood, rolling forward as he landed.

 _"Please be okay. Please be okay. I'm begging you. Please be okay."_ He repeated in his mind, his pace increasing with every footfall. Elric bounded across a gap in the walkway and skidded past a group of people most likely gathering for the sending. He didn't have time to apologize.

He wheeled his arms out in front of himself to slow down and dropped to his knees, feeling the splintered wood pierce his skin. His face twisted and he grit his teeth. Elric's eyes welled up and the lump that had been in his throat returned, this time rearing its head and becoming full blown sobs.

In front of him was a ruined shop. The roof was caved in and the building was slowly lurching into the water. Elric ran his hands through his hair, pulling at it and dropping his head to the wood. He let out a cry of pure anguish, slamming his hands so hard he thought he might have broken something.

"Mag…" He squeaked, his voice breaking as he drew in another sharp breath, letting it out in another sob. His fingers clenched the wood beneath him, causing him a pain that he ignored. Elric furrowed his brow and his breath came ragged; he slammed his hands into the wood again, this time cracking it and sending bits of it splashing into the water below. "Sin…" He hissed, his voice not quite his own, "you've taken three people from me now. You won't take anyone else!"

"It's okay, Elric. I'm alright." A croaky voice said from behind him.

Elric gasped, his body spinning around to face the source of the familiar voice that he had heard so often growing up. "Mag?" He asked, a wash of mixed emotions crossed his face. "Mag!" He cried, scrambling forward and wrapping his arms around the older woman.

Mag was stronger than she looked, able to anchor herself even though Elric practically tackled her. "It's alright, child. It's alright…" she whispered, stroking his hair. Mag was much shorter than Elric, coming up to just below his chest. Her white hair had been blown wild, most likely from Sin's attack, and there were several small cuts on her wrinkled face. There was a white bandage over the bridge of her aquiline nose.

Elric looked up at her with tears in his eyes. "Where's Bernard? Is he alright?" He sniffed out, taking a breath.

Mag shook her head, her mouth twisted and her wrinkled face contorting with sadness. "He's gone, Elric. He's gone…" She managed to eek out before she started her own sobbing.

Elric buried his face in her chest again and cried hard. Bernard had been Mag's husband.

The pair cried together for what felt like ages before finally stopping. They looked at each other and slowly, Elric rose to his feet.

"There's a summoner here. She is going to perform the Sending ceremony." He managed to say, his voice coarse from all the crying. "Do you want to attend? For Bernard?" he asked her, his eyes betraying his want to go.

Mag nodded. "Yes. I wish to see him one last time before we part." She responded, her voice unwavering. She gripped Elric's arm, hobbling away towards where the Sending would take place.

* * *

Tidus watched in astonishment as Yuna danced, her feet gently caressing the water beneath her. It was unlike anything he had ever seen. His mouth hung open and on more than one occasion he had to remember that there were people around. All the color seemed to drain from the world, only serving to reinforce the beauty of the woman in front of him.

For a brief second he glanced around at those in attendance. The mixture of pain and happiness on their faces was brutally apparent. Yuna was helping them grieve.

" _No more. Yuna won't have to ever perform another Sending."_ He thought, making a silent vow to himself. As long as he was breathing, he would protect her. He would make her laugh, smile, and cheer. It was his mission.

Tidus spotted Elric in the crowd next to an older woman. Mother? Grandmother? He should ask him if he got the chance again. The woman sobbed while Elric just stared intently either at Yuna or off into the horizon. His eyes flashed in the sunset and his mouth was pulled into a tight line. Tidus noticed Elric's hand wrapped around the pommel of his sword.

It looked like he was about to go to war.

* * *

Elric glared off into the distance. Fire burned in his heart and even though his heart sped up, his breathing stayed regulated. He felt a tear roll down his cheek.

 _"No more. Never again. Ever."_


	3. Give Back

Final Fantasy X: Harbinger

Chapter 3: Give Back

The Sending procession began to disperse shortly after Yuna had finished her duties. Mag still clung to Elric's arm, her legs wobbling from the wash of emotions she felt and her old age. As they stood there, the two of them watching the pyreflies drift off into the sky, villagers stopped every-so-often to consoled the aging woman.

Elric still stared off into the distance, his eyes squinting against the setting sun. Amidst the quiet chatter he focused on the lapping of the waves against wood; the sound soothed him and reminded him of more peaceful times.

"Elric, are you alright?" Mag's croaky voice brought him back to the present.

He shrugged. "Just remembering. That's all." He said monotonously, his eyes not leaving the horizon. Birds flew by overhead and squawked loudly. _"Must be nice. Being able to fly away whenever you want."_ He thought. "He was a good man." Elric said.

Mag gripped his arm tighter. "Aye. He was," she mourned, "I don't know what I'll do without him."

Elric looked down at Mag. "Mag," he started, "I'll stay as long as it takes to rebuild. This is my home. It's only right that I help." If he stayed, it meant that he would miss the blitzball tournament and there was a part of him that really despised that notion.

Mag shook her head, looking up at Elric. She smiled weakly.

"No, no. Do you think I forgot what time of year it is? I know you're on your way to Luca to watch the tournament." She said, ambling forward. Elric followed. "I'm not going to make you miss tradition to help some old kook like me."

Elric huffed. "You're not an old kook, Mag." He stated. "You're family to me. I don't abandon family." He ran a hand through his black hair and sighed deeply. "You're all I have left, Mag…" he said, sucking his upper lip and unconsciously biting it.

Mag chuckled. "I appreciate that you care so much, Elric." She said, coming to a halt. She pulled Elric down to face her, causing him to drop to a knee. "You need to live your life and be your own person. You know," she paused, the muscles in her jaw tightened, "I'm not going to be around for much longer."

The color drained from Elric's face and his hands grew cold. "Don't say that, Mag. Not-"

"No, Elric," she said, shaking her head, her voice wobbly, "I'm not going to live forever. I now know that in the world we live there is no certainty that we will see tomorrow." Mag said, tears welling up in her eyes. "Please," she implored, "don't waste your life caring for me. You don't owe me anything..."

Elric's lip started to quiver and tears started to fall down his cheeks. He sniffed, rubbing his eyes with his sleeves. He pulled her into a tight hug and, for the second time, the two held each other as they wept.

* * *

Tidus laid on a bed in the Kilika Inn that reminded him so much of his own back in Zanarkand it made him homesick. He ran his hands over the silky blue sheets and stared up at the domed wooden ceiling. Surprisingly, this place was left relatively untouched aside from a few loose floorboards here and there. His mind drifted back to Yuna. The way she moved, the way her dress flowed around her feet, the way her hair moved. Every bit of her was so burned into his mind that he could close his eyes and describe her perfectly.

He thought about her laying next to him on this very bed. He thought about her lips. He thought about how soft they must be. How they might taste. Several other things sauntered their way through his mind, bringing a grin to his face.

He remembered the words that Lulu had said after Yuna's Sending.

 _"All we can do is protect her along the way. Until the end."_ She had said.

"What is _that_ supposed to me?" Tidus asked himself. "Until the end..." He mused. "The end of what? Her pilgrimage?"

He placed both his hands on his stomach, wincing as he felt it grumble loudly. He groaned, swinging his legs over the side of the bed and sitting up. He stretched and let out a deep sigh, followed by a yawn. He stood up and walked towards the door, the wood creaking beneath his feet.

He stepped out onto the lightly colored hardwood; a dark green carpet carried on down the length of the hallway. There were small sconces lining the walls all down the hallway; there were several other rooms on the same floor he was on, most occupied by members of the Aurochs. He set out down the hall, the wood creaking underneath his feet. He had just rounded the corner, heading towards the stairs, when he bumped into someone.

"Oops, sorry!" Tidus apologized, placing one hand on the chest and another on the shoulder of the person in front of him to steady himself.

"It's okay. You alright?" A familiar voice said, removing Tidus hands.

Hey, how're you doing?" Elric asked, a smile crossing his lips.

Tidus shrugged. "I'm...okay." He said, nodding his head. "How about you? You jumped off the boat pretty fast when we got here. Everything okay?"

Elric shoved his hands into the pockets of his pants and leaned his shoulder against the wall. "I thought I lost what family I had left today." His eyes cast downwards. "Turned out I only lost half of them." He shook his head quickly to the left; his lips shrugged. "Silver lining I guess..."

Tidus didn't know what to say. He was never really good at that kind of stuff. "Umm..." He replied.

"What're you up to? Elric said, thankfully breaking the uncomfortable silence.

Tidus' stomach answered for him. He chuckled sheepishly.

Elric smirked, standing up off of the wall. "Me too. Come on. I know a place we can eat."

* * *

Tidus and Elric stood outside the only bar in Kilika.

And it was closed. For obvious reasons.

Tidus gave out an exasperated sigh. "Now what?" He asked, slumping forward and putting his hands on his knees.

Elric cocked an eyebrow at Tidus. "Really?" He intoned. "A big scary curtain is what's going to stop us?"

It was true, the only thing really stopping them from entering was a shade of beads and curtains.

"Are you sure it's okay? You sure nobody'll get mad?" Tidus asked. He was a natural risk taker but he was more concerned about what Yuna would think if she found out.

"Kilikians are a very generous people. I'm sure the owner won't mind." Elric replied, nodding his head curtly. He stepped forward and opened the curtain. "As long as we don't get caught." Elric quipped before pushed through.

Tidus glanced around nervously, letting out a huff. He delayed for a moment but his ever growling stomach compelled him forward.

The inside of the bar was simple. A round wooden bar sat in the center of the room with a small stove built into one of the large support beams extending up to the ceiling. Shelving wound its way around the beam, displaying a prominent liquor collection. Several tables and chairs lay over-turned and scattered. Bottles of alcohol littered the floor, bleeding their contents out, some shattered and some not.

Tidus watched Elric hop the bar in one swift motion, his feet landing almost without noise on the other side.

"You want something to drink?" Elric asked, holding up a bottle of who-knows-what in either hand, a grin upturning his lips.

Tidus turned a bar stool over and planted himself on it with a satisfying sigh. "Yeah, definitely." He said, nodding his head several times.

Elric spun around and grabbed two glasses, placing them in front of Tidus. He poured one bottle, which came out a fluorescent green, into one of the glasses, then poured the other bottle, coming out a dark blue, into the other glass. He placed the bottles down on the counter and pointed at both glasses with his index fingers. "Green is strong, blue is," he paused and a wide smile crossed his face, "slightly stronger." He finished.

Tidus dropped his head to the table and a laugh escaped him. He propped his chin up on his hands and pointed to the blue liquid.

Elric cocked an eyebrow. "Somebody's wearing the big-boy pants today."

Tidus gripped the glass in his hand and tossed the liquid back in one go. It burned. It _REALLY_ burned. Tidus let out a moan and gripped at his throat.

"Told ya so." Elric laughed before disappearing behind the bar.

"Hey, Elric," Tidus began.

"Yeah?" He heard him say. He had gone around to the other side of the bar.

"That woman that I saw you with at the sending today. Was that your mom?"

"No," Elric replied, "Her name's Magdalena. She's probably the closest thing to a mother that I've ever had."

"You never met your mother?"

"No. All I ever knew was that she was a Crusader. And that she died fighting Sin."

Tidus' posture sank. It was never easy hearing about someone losing a parent. He wanted desperately to know more but his question died in his throat. "So, Mag? She's a friend of the family then?" Tidus called back.

There was a sound of glass breaking and a curse from Elric. "Uh, yeah. My dad and I did business with her and her husband."

Tidus heard a hitch in Elric's voice as he spoke. Then the bar got eerily quiet.

"Elric?" Tidus called out, standing up from his chair and craning his neck to spot Elric.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He sniffed. He walked back in front of Tidus, a bundle of fruits and vegetables under one arm and a large prepared fish in the other. "Hope you like fish." Elric said, dropping the fish on the counter.

Tidus watched Elric cut up pieces of their meal, taking off bits that had too much fat or were too bony and throwing them in a pan. He fried it up using the stove, diced up various different vegetables, and sliced bits of fruit for them to eat as an appetizer.

"So if you never knew your mom, who raised you? Aside from Mag, of course. Your old man?" Tidus asked, popping a piece of apple into his mouth.

Elric nodded his head. "My dad taught me everything I know about fishing. We're both fishermen, see? He taught me how to sail, how to tell when the weather was going bad," he chuckled, "even taught me how to talk to girls. Which didn't make any sense because where we ended up on most days there wasn't a single girl for miles!" He finished.

Tidus took another sip from his glass that he had already refilled more than once. He crossed his arms and leaned back on the stool, forgetting that there was no back rest on it; he managed to save himself the embarrassment. "I wish my old man was like that." He admitted quietly.

Elric glanced over his shoulder. "What's that? You say something?" He asked, his hands still busy with their food.

"I said I wish my old man was like that. More like yours. Ya know, helpful." He spat.

"You have a problem with your dad?" Elric asked.

"Yeah," Tidus started, "my old man was a jackass and a drunk. He never helped me like yours did! He always told me how great he was and how stupid I was. He was never nice to me or my mom either..." He trailed off, absolute disdain in his tone. He gripped his head with both hands, slammed his eyes closed and let out a angry groan. He heard the sound of glass scraping against wood and he opened his eyes. Elric had refilled his glass and had pushed it towards him; Tidus couldn't help but chuckle. He rubbed the back of his head and lifted the glass to his lips.

"Your dad sounds like a bully who never grew up." Elric said flatly.

"He is, er, or was. He disappeared ten years ago, when he went to train for the blitz season." Tidus' lips curved into a microscopic smile. "Can't say me or the team missed him though..."

"Which team? The Aurochs?" Elric asked.

Like a rocket, Tidus blasted out of his chair, causing Elric to jump. "Ha! The Zanarkand Abes of course!"

Elric cracked a smile. "The Zanarkand Abes? Really now..."

Tidus pumped his fist in the air. "Yeah! You're lookin' at their star player, in the flesh!" He cheered.

Elric snorted. "Really now? Where do the Zanarkand Abes play?" He asked, shoveling food onto two plates.

Tidus was elated. Could Elric be the one who finally believed him? "Every night we'd play in Zanarkand Stadium, all lit up by the lights!" He exclaimed tracing his hands around in the air, imagining the lights. "The crowd would come and cheer and cheer until they couldn't cheer anymore!" His voice grew quiet. "Then, just as the clock was about to run out, I'd pull off the Jecht Shot, and snag a win for the Abes!" Tidus pulled his fist down in a triumphant movement, a wide smile on his face. He looked back at Elric who stood there with two plates of food in his hands, an entertained smile on his face.

He slid one of the plates towards Tidus and poured himself another drink. "Ya know," he said, raising his glass, "if I had a few more of these in me, I might have actually believed that."

Tidus' heart sank. He really thought that Elric belived him. He gave Elric a half-hearted smile and clinked his glass against his. "Yeah. Right..." He said sadly.

* * *

"Why are you doing that?" He asked.

Elric turned and looked at Him. "This? It's a habit of mine." Elric said. After they finished their food and cleaned up, he had placed a sack of gil on the counter. "When my dad and I would go fishing, after every trip he would always say 'give back, Elric. That's the only way you'll get them to come back!'

He cocked his head. "What does that mean?"

Elric smiled. "It means that if you take something away you should always give something back in return. So, after every voyage, we would dump fish food into the water as a way to thank the fish for what they gave us. That way, even though the fish knew that a lot of them would get caught the next day, they would still come to the fishing spot to get fed. To them, the risk was worth the reward." He stared back at the sack of gil on the table. "Live your own life the way you want to. Not the way people expect you to live it."

He furrowed his brow and frowned. "I wish my old man was more like yours..."

Elric clapped Him on the back and the two walked out of the bar. "Everyone's father did what they did for a reason. But we aren't them. Our job is to be different from them, to pass on what they taught us or tried to teach us onto our children, to build a better world than what they started with. Than what we started with." He explained.

He sighed and gave a half-hearted smile. "Yeah, I guess you're right. But I wish I could see my old man again, just one last time. To tell him I hate him, ya know?"

Elric drew his lips thin and nodded. "There's things that we'll never be able to say to the ones we've lost. Things that'll haunt us for the rest of our lives, things we'll regret if we don't say them. We have to make sure that we say what we need to say before it's too late." Elric thought back to Bernard, to his mother, to his father. His life was riddled with loss. Every time he thought he was complacent, something came by and shook the metaphorical beam he balanced on and sent him tumbling to the ground.

They had both managed to make it back to the hotel, albeit with some stumbling and childish laughter that seemed horrendously inappropriate given the situation, but they had managed it.

"Hey! You're right, Elric. Thanks!" He shouted, holding his fist out.

Elric silently rolled his eyes and smiled. He bumped His fist and chuckled. "I need to go sleep off today. Are you going to the temple tomorrow? With your summoner?"

He stuttered for a moment. "Uhhhh...yeah?" He said uneasily.

"I'll see you there. I'm heading up there with Mag to pray for her husband. She is, not me." Elric said.

"You're not a follower of Yeevon?" He asked. Elric shook his head.

"It's pronounced 'Yevon', and no. I live my life the way I choose to live it. No one controls me but me." Elric stated, feeling himself stand up straighter. "Anyway, it's been a long day. I'll catch you tomorrow, brother." Elric said, unaware of his unintentional pun until he closed the door to his room.

The moment Elric closed the door, his head swam. He moaned. "I must've had more than I thought..." He gently flopped down on his bed, kicking his boots off and breathing in deeply. He let out his breath long and controlled, placing his hands behind his swimming head. He ripped his jacket and tank-top off, laying there in only his socks and pants; the cool air feeling wonderful on his bare skin.

 _"We will be one."_

The words echoed in his brain from earlier. What did they mean? Did he imagine it? His brain searched for any possible answer. He fidgeted uneasily, a feeling of anxiousness came over him. "I'm _not_ going crazy..." He trailed off.

It wasn't long before he fell into a deep, deep sleep. But even as he slept, the words remained burned in his memory.

 _"We will be one."_

 ** _A/N: So there's the next chapter. Sorry if it was a little boring :( I'm trying to make the action worthwhile instead of saturating the story with it and end up boring you, the reader. The next chapter will have some action to it though! Fun fact: This whole chapter was originally supposed to be a part of Chapter 2 but I decided that it was going to be WAY too long. Anyway, R/R and let me know what ya'll think!_**


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